With its love for everything physical, around half the US population watches live sports. Moreover, the rise of streaming and internet TV is also expected to amp up the demand for sports programming.
One of the most well-known places for free live sports streaming is StreamEast. Unfortunately, this platform is not legal in some countries and may lead to legal consequences depending on how strict a country is about its copyright laws.
To help you navigate restrictions, read the rest of this article and get ready to watch live sports on StreamEast safely.
📝 LEGAL NOTE: Countries have different VPN laws. TechJury does not promote illegal activities. Please double-check your local regulations before using the websites and applications cited in this article.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- StreamEast is a popular platform for free live sports streaming, but it operates in a legal grey area in some countries due to copyright issues.
- The legality of using StreamEast depends on your country's copyright laws, and penalties for violations vary from fines to imprisonment.
- To watch StreamEast safely and protect your data, it is recommended to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to keep your browsing activity anonymous and avoid copyright infringement notices.
- Some top VPN options for accessing StreamEast include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, ProtonVPN, Windscribe, and TunnelBear.
- Instead of risking safety and supporting piracy, consider legal streaming alternatives like NFL Game Pass, NBA League Pass, ESPN+, and Sling TV for uninterrupted sports viewing.
What is StreamEast?
StreamEast is a streaming site for watching sports games, news, and events. It shows sports like soccer, tennis, cricket, golf, boxing, and basketball. StreamEast even hosts MMA games and F1 races.
With its wide variety of sports content that comes at no cost, it’s no wonder StreamEast is a popular choice.
However, is it even legal? Continue reading to find out.
The Legality of StreamEast
StreamEast does not hold any distribution rights over the content they have on the website. This puts you in a legal grey area. Whether or not you will be punished for using the platform depends on your country’s regulations.
All countries have varying copyright laws. Their laws also come with different penalties for violators. Some enforce strict limitations, while others are more lenient.
💡Did You Know? Like many free streaming sites, StreamEast contains pirated digital content, which has reduced the industry’s annual revenue in the US by at least $29.2 billion.
Here are a few examples of some countries’ copyright laws and penalties:
1. United States of America
Watching illegal streams in the United States is not a crime based on the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act of 2021(PLSA).
However, operating an illegal streaming site and showing a stream to the public is illegal. The fine may reach up to $250,000, and imprisonment up to 5 years.
2. United Kingdom
The UK’s Digital Economy Act of 2017 is a law that targets individuals and businesses selling or streaming illegal content. Those caught streaming could face up to 10 years in prison.
3. Germany
A ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union states that distributing and streaming copyrighted materials without the owner’s consent is deemed illegal — in most cases.
If you get caught violating copyright laws in Germany, you could be fined up to $1,180 for your first offense and have to pay about $177 for a lawyer.
4. Japan
Downloading unauthorized content from the internet is illegal and carries a potential punishment of up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of up to 2 million yen ( around $19,366)
5. Russia
There are reports that Russia made online piracy legal n 2022 in response to Western companies pulling out of Russia during the Ukraine-Russia war.
Even before that, Russia has had a reputation for using VPNs to stay anonymous on the internet. In 2021, 1.6 billion people used VPN tech, many from Russia.
Declaring piracy as legal will allow the Russians to continuously have access to entertainment content from the rest of the world.
🎉 Fun Fact: Russia also has the highest piracy rates in the world, second only to China.
Moreover, Russia also has some of the strangest policies on VPN use. While using a VPN isn’t illegal, circumventing government restrictions is.
Most national governments are trying their best to stop illegal streaming, but the issue is still prevalent. There were 13.5 billion illegal streaming visits in the US alone in 2021 — making it the country with the most illegal website visitors.
Using StreamEast is a personal choice, and there are ways that you can watch it safely. The best method is using a VPN.
✅ Pro Tip
If VPNs are not legal or are unavailable in your country, you should check out these articles for possible alternatives:
- How to Find Fast Proxy Servers
- Using Tor Browser
Watch StreamEast Safely
Current studies established that half of the advertisem*nts on free live-stream platforms are malicious.
After all, many hackers bait users and manipulate free-streaming sites to bait unsuspecting internet users into installing malware and viruses.
If taken for granted, malware and viruses can wreak havoc on your device and potentially make your identity and financial accounts vulnerable to hackers.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps secure your data by keeping your browsing activity anonymous.
It also hides you from ISPs and authorities so that you can avoid copyright infringement notices.
Here are the steps to watch StreamEast with a VPN.
- Download and install a trusted VPN.
- Select the United States as your server and connect.
3. Go to your browser and open StreamEast.
4. Start streaming your favorite event!
Now the question is, which VPN should you use? Don’t worry. You have a lot of choices — paid and free.
Top VPNs For Accessing StreamEast
A VPN is crucial when using free streaming services like StreamEast. You should get one that provides the highest level of security while retaining your connection speed for a better streaming experience.
There are also VPN service providers that can circumvent geo-blocking if StreamEast is not available in your area.
Not every VPN is the same; some offer more features than others. Here’s a list of top paid and free VPNs to choose from:
VPN | Description |
NordVPN ($3.99 - $6.69/month) | NordVPN can easily bypass streaming restrictions. It also protects you against malware and blocks ads. It uses AES-256 encryption for guaranteed security. |
ExpressVPN ($12.95/month) | ExpressVPN gives you excellent security and privacy. It has multiple servers in 94 countries. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. |
Surfshark ($3.99/month) | Surfshark is a reliable VPN with more than 3200 servers. It also comes with anti-malware and an ad-blocker. |
ProtonVPN | ProtonVPN hides your IP address to protect you from your ISP’s prying eyes. It offers a free version with unlimited bandwidth. |
Windscribe (FREE) | Windscribe comes with a blocker that stops malware and ads on the free plan. It has a vast network of servers in 63 countries. |
TunnelBear (FREE) | TunnelBear has 1,800 servers in 23 locations. It also has a killswitch for more security and privacy. |
With the number of options you can choose from and the variety of features, VPNs offer, getting a VPN is definitely worth it.
Best and Legal StreamEast Alternatives
Besides risking your safety, illegal streaming also means a financial loss to the economy. Digital piracy has gotten so bad that the US alone loses between $47 billion to $115 billion every year.
Watching through legal streaming services is a great way to protect your online privacy and avoid the potential risks of using free streaming platforms.
Here are a few options that you may consider:
- NFL Game Pass: an excellent option for fans who want to enjoy all the N.F.L. action throughout the season, especially if they live outside the US.
- NBA League Pass: an option for fans who want to enjoy all the NBA action throughout the season.
- ESPN+: a US-based online streaming network that broadcasts live sports events, news, highlights, and analysis worldwide.
- Sling TV: an online streaming service that offers live TV channels, movies, shows, and sports events.
Bottom Line
StreamEast is a remarkable sports streaming site. However, checking its legality in your country is crucial before using it.
If you want to protect your security and privacy, use a VPN. Or better yet, consider the legal streaming options for uninterrupted and comfortable viewing!
